Seawater and Freshwater Water Circulations through Coastal Forested Wetlands on a Caribbean Island
نویسندگان
چکیده
Structure and composition of coastal forested wetlands are mainly controlled by local topography and soil salinity. Hydrology plays a major role in relation with tides, seaward, and freshwater inputs, landward. We report here the results of a two-year study undertaken in a coastal plain of the Guadeloupe archipelago (FWI). As elsewhere in the Caribbean islands, the study area is characterized by a micro-tidal regime and a highly seasonal climate. This work aimed at understanding groundwater dynamics and origin (seawater/freshwater) both at ecosystems and stand levels. These hydrological processes were assessed through 18O/16O and 2H/1H isotopic analyses, and from monthly monitoring of water level and soil salinity at five study sites located in mangrove (3) and swamp forest (2). Our results highlight the importance of freshwater budget imbalance during low rainfall periods. Sustained and/or delayed dry seasons cause soil salinity to rise at the mangrove/swamp forest ecotone. As current models on climate change project decreasing OPEN ACCESS
منابع مشابه
Seawater and Freshwater Circulations through Coastal Forested Wetlands on a Caribbean Island
Structure and composition of coastal forested wetlands are mainly controlled by local topography and soil salinity. Hydrology plays a major role in relation with tides, seaward, and freshwater inputs, landward. We report here the results of a two-year study undertaken in a coastal plain of the Guadeloupe archipelago (FWI). As elsewhere in the Caribbean islands, the study area is characterized b...
متن کاملGreenhouse gas fluxes in southeastern U.S. coastal plain wetlands under contrasting land uses.
Whether through sea level rise or wetland restoration, agricultural soils in coastal areas will be inundated at increasing rates, renewing connections to sensitive surface waters and raising critical questions about environmental trade-offs. Wetland restoration is often implemented in agricultural catchments to improve water quality through nutrient removal. Yet flooding of soils can also incre...
متن کاملComposition and flux of groundwater from a California beach aquifer: Implications for nutrient supply to the surf zone
The coastal, unconfined aquifer at Huntington Beach, California contains saline groundwater (33 psu) adjacent to the water line, and a brackish groundwater (BGW) mixing zone (3–9 psu) approximately 50m from the water line. According to salinity and water isotope analyses, the BGW composition varies spatially in the alongshore direction. Measurements obtained from two BGW wells indicate this wat...
متن کاملEffect of wetland transformation on groundwater quality and soil salinization in neighbouring agricultural areas
Wetlands, and specially salt marshes, represent the final stage of the filling of depressions, embayments, levelling of marine delta plains and other depositional environments. Due to their origin, they are porous media, with high permeability, permanently flooded, or with very shallow oscillating groundwater table. They are rich in wildlife and among the most primary producers environments in ...
متن کاملRegulators of coastal wetland methane production and responses to simulated global change
Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane (CH4) emissions to the atmosphere, which vary along salinity and productivity gradients. Global change has the potential to reshape these gradients and therefore alter future contributions of wetlands to the global CH4 budget. Our study examined CH4 production along a natural salinity gradient in fully inundated coastal Alaska wetlands. In the ...
متن کامل